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Updated: June 17, 2011, 4:00 PM
The Top 10
Top 10: Memorable Weather Games
Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
Email | Follow robphillips3 on Twitter



(Editor's Note: From the home office in Irving, Texas, DallasCowboys.com has this week's top 10 list, a ranking of the best free agent signings in team history as selected by the website writing staff - Nick Eatman, Rob Phillips and Josh Ellis. A new countdown will debut each Friday.)

Fortunes in the National Football League, especially these days, are about as predictable as the weather.

For this week's Top 10, we've compiled and ranked the 10 most memorable weather games in Cowboys history. It's a list that would make John Madden proud - gridiron warriors battling the elements, and each other, for 60 minutes.

These aren't the 10 worst weather conditions by temperature. Preference was given to the magnitude of the game as well as the memories forged in the heat, rain, snow or mud.

Let's start with No. 10, where we have a tie for the last spot.


10(a). at Philadelphia (Dec. 10, 1989)



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Better known as "Bounty Bowl II," the fallout from Buddy Ryan's alleged Thanksgiving "bounties" on Troy Aikman and Cowboys kicker Luis Zendejas two weeks earlier. The Cowboys lost both Bounty Bowls, this time a 20-10 defeat at freezing Veterans Stadium. Eagles fans made the game into their own little snowball fight, tossing snow and beers at Jimmy Johnson as security rushed him off the field. Nothing like a little holiday cheer.


10(b). at Cleveland (Dec. 12, 1970)

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The Cowboys didn't let freezing temperatures, sleet and a field full of mud get in their way of a fourth straight victory. The unruly conditions did play a big factor in the play of both teams, but the Cowboys were able to kick two field goals and win 6-2 in front of 74,458 fans in Cleveland - the largest attendance for any Cowboys game that season.

9. at Philadelphia (Oct. 31, 1993)

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The rain at the Vet was relentless, and so were Emmitt Smith's runs. The future NFL MVP rushed for a Cowboys single-game record 237 yards on 30 carries in a 23-10 win over the Eagles. It was the sixth-highest total in league history, and he saved the best for last: a 62-yard touchdown with 3:45 left to seal things for the Super Bowl champs.

8. vs. L.A. Rams (Dec. 26, 1983)

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The frosty 27-degree temperature at Texas Stadium - the second-coldest home playoff game in team history - was the least of the Cowboys' problems. The Rams eliminated the favored Cowboys, 24-17, in the wild-card round by scoring 17 points in the second half - all off Dallas turnovers.

7. vs. Philadelphia (Jan. 7, 1996)

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On to the coldest home playoff game in team history: 26 degrees at kickoff. Deion Sanders was hot, though, impacting the game in all three phases: an interception on defense, a 21-yard reverse for a touchdown on offense and two long punt returns. The Cowboys rolled over the Eagles, 30-11, to reach the NFC title game.

6. at Philadelphia (Dec. 10, 1995)

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Tied for the third-coldest game in team history (19 degrees), and better known as the "Load Left" disaster, just two weeks before their above-mentioned playoff rematch with Philly. This was not Barry Switzer's finest moment as head coach. Sitting in deep in their own territory with a tie score, Switzer called two straight unsuccessful short-yardage plays in the final minute. The Eagles stuffed Emmitt Smith on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1, regained possession in Cowboys territory and kicked the winning field goal.

5. vs. Philadelphia (Sept. 3, 2000)

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From extreme cold to extreme heat, the 2000 opener at Texas Stadium had a team-record 109 temperature at kickoff. Eagles players claimed they stayed hydrated by drinking a combination of water and pickle juice in their 41-14 blowout win. Now forever known as the "Pickle Juice" game, it was a terrible start to a 5-11 season.
 
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4. at Minnesota (Dec. 28, 1975)

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"The Hail Mary Game." Tied for the third-coldest playoff contest in team history (27 degrees), Roger Staubach's 50-yard miracle touchdown throw to Drew Pearson sent the Cowboys to the Super Bowl as a wild-card team. The "Hail Mary" pass - coined by Staubach in postgame interviews - elicited protest from the Vikings, arguing Pearson pushed off. Oh well.


3. at San Francisco (Jan. 17, 1993)

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The first of three straight NFC Championship Games against the 49ers, and easily the messiest. Through wet, muddy conditions, the Cowboys upset the elder, more accomplished 49ers, 30-20, to reach their first Super Bowl since 1978. Afterward, Jimmy Johnson reminded his players they had one game left to play, then howled, "How 'bout them Cowboys!"

2. vs. Miami (Nov. 25, 1993)

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One of the team's rare snow games at Texas Stadium was unfortunate and unforgettable, all thanks to defensive lineman Leon Lett, who decided to slide after a blocked Dolphins' field goal with a one-point Cowboys' lead and only a few seconds left. The Dolphins recovered and kicked their winner, 16-14, to stun Dallas on Thanksgiving.

1. at Green Bay (Dec. 31, 1967)

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The 1967 NFL Championship, dubbed "The Ice Bowl," was the most severe weather game in NFL history and the coldest Cowboys contest ever: minus-13 degrees at kickoff at Lambeau Field, with a wind chill close to minus-50. Lance Rentzel's 50-yard touchdown gave the Cowboys a fourth-quarter lead, but Barr Starr's one-yard quarterback sneak for a score with 13 seconds left lifted the Packers to a 21-17 win.
 

Mr.Po

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1-11-81 1980 NFC Championship game 15 degrees in Philly

Eagles 20 Cowboys 7 / A week after the miracle comeback against the Falcons came the thud before the Superbowl. Tears flowed in my Cowboys pajamas.
 

sbk92

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I don't think we lost another game that year after Lett's T-day debacle.

Which pretty much takes all the sting away from that.
 

Theebs

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Just for fun because I think it is interesting.

THe cowboys coldest home playoff Game.
January 7, 1996 a 30-11 win and it was 26 Degrees out.

The Warmest Home Playoff Game.
January 14, 1996 a 38-27 win over Green Bay and it was 72 degrees out.

Pretty funny in a 7 day stretch they played the coldest and warmest home playoff games ever.
 
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Just for fun because I think it is interesting.

THe cowboys coldest home playoff Game.
January 7, 1996 a 30-11 win and it was 26 Degrees out.

The Warmest Home Playoff Game.
January 14, 1996 a 38-27 win over Green Bay and it was 72 degrees out.

Pretty funny in a 7 day stretch they played the coldest and warmest home playoff games ever.

lol

welcome to Texas
 
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Just for fun because I think it is interesting.

THe cowboys coldest home playoff Game.
January 7, 1996 a 30-11 win and it was 26 Degrees out.

The Warmest Home Playoff Game.
January 14, 1996 a 38-27 win over Green Bay and it was 72 degrees out.

Pretty funny in a 7 day stretch they played the coldest and warmest home playoff games ever.

Very Hostile-ish of you to point that out.

All you needed was a witty, yet heart felt one liner at the end.
 

Theebs

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Very Hostile-ish of you to point that out.

All you needed was a witty, yet heart felt one liner at the end.

sorry about that. Its just a funny thing that always stands out to me in the media guide.
 
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